The implementation of comprehensive compulsory medical insurance coverage for all expatriates, which was supposed to be in place this year, has been postponed by National Health Insurance Company (NHIC).
According to a Gulf Times report, NHIC acting CEO Dr Faleh Mohamed Hussain Ali has said “The stage (for the implementation of Seha to expatriates as well) has been slightly postponed.”
When asked about the reason for the postponement of Seha to expatriates, the senior official said NHIC preferred to wait as there was a need for further studies and hoped that it could be implemented before the end of 2016.
Insurance for expat employees
Seha, the national health insurance scheme in Qatar, currently provides health coverage to all Qatari nationals. The future stages will cover expat residents of all categories including white collar and blue-collar employees and their families.
The premiums for Qatari nationals, non-Qatari women married to Qatari men and the children of Qatari women married to non-Qataris will be paid by the government.
The premiums of expat residents, their spouses, and first three children must be paid by their employer.
Article 18 of the Health Insurance Law prohibits employers and sponsors from recovering any health insurance premiums from employees (and their families) or sponsored persons, respectively.
The beneficiaries of the health insurance scheme will be able to obtain services from both public and private healthcare providers. They will have access to the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) hospitals, expanded private providers as well as three new single male labourers’ hospitals being built.